A-Level Drama and Theatre Lighting Design Glossary

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Advance Bar
Lighting bar hung from auditorium close to stage
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amp
abb. amplifier used to amplify sound
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AMP
abb. Ampere, a unit of electrical current
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Baby Spot
Small spotlight under 500w
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Backlight
Light coming from upstage, behind scenery or actors, to sculpt and separate them from the background
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Back Projection
A method of projecting images onto a translucent screen from behind. Often used for projected scenery or special effects. Because the projector is usually close to the screen, special lenses are needed to ensure that the image seen by the audience is
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Bar
Metal tube used for hanging lanterns
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Barn-door
A rotatable attachment consisting of two or four metal flaps (hinged) which is fixed to the front of a Fresnel or PC type lantern to cut off the beam in a particular direction(s). Profile lanterns use SHUTTERS to achieve a greater degree of control a
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Battens
Compartmentalised floodlights set up so as to allow colour mixing. See also GROUNDROW. Low voltage battens are commonly used as light curtains & for colour washes. Known in the US as a ***** light.
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Beam Light
Lantern with no lens but with parabolic reflector
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Bifocal Spot
Profile lantern with two sets of shutters, one of which produces a hard edge, and one a soft edge. Not necessary in zoom profiles, because this requirement is fulfilled by two lenses.
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Blackout
A lighting cue where all stage lights go off simultaneously.
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Board
abb. for “lighting control board”
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Build
Increase light levels
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Bulb Round
Lighting check
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Channel
Connected circuit in lighting system
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Check
Decrease light levels
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Cinemoid
Type of colour gel
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Circuit
Means by which a lantern can be identified and connected to a dimmer
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Clamp
Normally used to attach lanterns to bars
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Colour Call
List of gels for a design
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Colour Filter
A sheet of plastic usually composed of a coloured resin sandwiched between two clear pieces. The coloured filter absorbs all the colours of light except the colour of the filter itself, which it allows through. A colour filter is sometimes known as a
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Colour Mixing
Combining the effects of two or more lighting gels.
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Control Room
Where lighting is controlled from
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Cross-fade
Bringing another lighting state up to completely replace the current lighting state. Sometimes abbreviated to Xfade or XF
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Cue Lights
System of lights used to give “Cues”.
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Cue Sheet
List of effects.
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Diffusion Gel
Also called Frost. Softens light
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Dimmer
Device that controls electricity passed to lanterns
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Downlight
A light from directly above the acting area.
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Dress Rehearsal
Full costume/lighting/effects/sound/ action rehearsal
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Electrician
(Chief, Deputy, Assistant) responsible for lighting
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Elex
‘LX’ electrical things or electrical department
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Elex Tape
“LX” tape sticky back plastic tape available in various colours
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Ellipsoidal
Type of reflector used in profile spots
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Engineer
Usually “sound” but can be “lighting”
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Fader
Means of controlling lights
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Flash
When lights are flashed for effect
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Flash Up
Method of testing lanterns
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Floats
Jargon for footlights
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Flood
To wash the stage with general lighting. The name given to a basic box-shaped lantern with a simple reflector used to achieve this effect.
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Focus
The adjustment of lighting/projection equipment and/or the direction in which it is aimed
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Focussing Session
When adjustment and plotting is done
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Follow spot
Large profile spotlight with operator
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Fresnel
Adjustable spotlight giving a diffused light, created by the construction of its lens of ‘concentric circles’. Used with barn doors.
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FX
abb. for ‘effects’
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Gel
Coloured lighting film (originally made from gelatine)
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Gobo
Metal slide placed in gate of lantern which throws a pattern
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Groundrow
Floodlight battens placed on stage
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Halogen
Gas contained in lamps
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Heads Below
Warning shouted if anything is dropped from above
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House Lights
The lights that illuminate the auditorium before and after the performance and during intermission.
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Impedance
Term of electrical resistance
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Iris
Device in lantern gate that allows beam size to be altered
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Kill
Instruction to stop action or effect
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Lamps
The thing that creates light in a lantern (“bulb” in domestic terms)
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Lantern
Stage light
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Level
Intensity of light
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Lighting Plot
Lighting cue description
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Light Set
A term used to describe a situation where no physical set is used on stage. The ‘set’ is created entirely by means of lighting.
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Lose
To turn something off
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Limes
Old term for Follow Spots
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Mains
Power source
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Master
Lever/slide which controls all light
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Multicore
Thick cable containing many cables
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PC - Prism Convex
Or “pebble”. A lens in a lantern
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Par Can
Type of lantern containing a fixed beam par lamp
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Patch Panel
Panel where lighting circuits are connected and changed – ‘patched’
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Perch
Lighting position concealed behind proscenium
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Profile Spot
Lantern which can produce hard or soft light
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Plot
Any list of cues
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Prompt copy / Book
The master copy of the performance, including all blocking, effects and cues
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Patch Panel
Panel where lighting circuits are connected and changed – ‘patched’
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Perch
Lighting position concealed behind proscenium
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Profile Spot
Lantern which can produce hard or soft light
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Plot
Any list of cues
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Prompt copy / Book
The master copy of the performance, including all blocking, effects and cues
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Record
Plotting a lighting cue by saving it to the lighting board
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Reflector
Shiny surface in back of lantern which helps throw light
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Rigging
Fixing lighting, sound and scenic devices to the theatre structure
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Saturation Rig
Lighting rig at full capacity
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Scatter
Low level light cast at side of normal light beam
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Shin Buster
Low side lights
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Shutter
Device in lantern used to shape beam
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Slots
Side lighting position in auditorium walls
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Special Effects
Lighting effects used to enhance a theatrical performance.
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Spill
Unwanted light on the stage
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Strobe
Flashing light
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Tech
Technical Rehearsal
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Throw
Distance between lantern and object
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Tripe
Thick bundle of cables from lighting bar
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Tri-lite
Lighting/scenic metal section made from three lengths of lightweight alloy (triangular construction
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UV
abb. Ultra Violet
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Working Lights
Lights used by stage crew to aid work
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

amp

Back

abb. amplifier used to amplify sound

Card 3

Front

AMP

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Baby Spot

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Backlight

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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